Three Sticks’ 2023 Gap’s Crown Vineyard Chardonnay is a single-vineyard Sonoma Coast bottling from the Petaluma Gap, a windy corridor that pulls cool Pacific air inland. Decanter notes that Three Sticks has farmed the site since 2012, describing Gap’s Crown as a little over 161 hectares (about 400 acres), with roughly 55 hectares (137 acres) planted to vines, including about 11 hectares (27 acres) of Chardonnay. The constant wind and afternoon sun, Decanter adds, “push the grapes to develop thicker skins and greater phenolic structure,” a signature that shows up here as both tension and texture.

The best reviews are emphatic about balance and definition. Antonio Galloni scores it 96 points in *Vinous*, calling it “another impressive wine in this range,” with “citrus peel, white flowers, mint, slate and chalk… beautifully delineated in this brisk, nervy Chardonnay.” He emphasizes that “all the elements are so well balanced,” and singles out its “translucence and mineral-driven purity.” The wine also earns 95 points from *Decanter*, which calls the 2023 “quite vibrant,” crediting the “long, cool growing season” and highlighting aromas of “citrus pith and citrus peel… lemon curd, sweet white flowers, and a subtle hint of roasted nuts.” On the palate, *Decanter* finds “real tension… a stimulating texture,” plus a “citrusy and salty” profile and an herbal note “that reminds me of thyme.”

Tom R. Capo awards 94 points in *Wine Enthusiast*, praising “fresh, lively aromas of nectarine, Meyer lemon peel and river rocks,” followed by a “nervy” palate where “energetic acidity” carries flavors of “lemon curd, passion fruit, pineapple sage and flowers.”

Jeb Dunnuck is slightly more restrained at 92 points, but still positive on its “energy,” “elegant, full-bodied frame,” and finish marked by “salty earth” and “hints of almond,” suggesting it will drink well over the next 6–7 years.